Brush adjustment mechanism for sweeper apparatus



April 1958 F. J. MACHOVEC 2,828,498

BRUSH ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR SWEEPER APPARATUS Filed Oct. 1, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR, F960 cf. MQCHOVEC April 1, 1958 F. J.MACHOVEC 2,828,498

BRUSH ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR SWEEPER APPARATUS Filed Oct. 1, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR, F250 1/. MQCHOI EC' FIG. CE?

April 1958 F. J. MACHOVEC 2,828,498

BRUSH ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR SWEEPER APPARATUS Filed 001:. l, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Q 8 ENE-V United States atent Q BRUSH ADJUSTMENTMECHANHSM FGR SWEEPER APPARATUS Fred 5. Machovee, Pasadena, Calif.

Application @ctober 1, 1954, Serial No. 459,604

7 Claims. (Cl. -83) This invention relates to a sweeper apparatus, andmore particularly to a means for effecting fine adjustment of thevertical position of a sweeper brush in order to compensate for wearthereon, and additionally to disengage the brush completely from theunderlying surface when it is desired to propel the sweeper withouteffecting a brushing action.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 392,117, filed November 16,1953, for a Sweeper Construction, now abandoned, and in Serial Nov409,823, filed February 12, 1954, for a Sweeper Drive and AdjustmentConstruction, there is shown and described a greatly improved powersweeper apparatus for cleaning relatively small surfaces such assidewalks, factories, etc, and in which the driver rides in a seatedposition on the forward portion of the sweeper instead of standing on atrailer or walking behind the sweeper as is conventional. Application409,- 823 also illustrates a means for vertically adjusting the mainhorizontal cylindrical brush of the sweeper in order to compensate forwear on the brush bristles, and for disengaging completely the brushfrom the underlying surface being cleaned wh n it is desired to operatethe sweeper without brushing action. An improvement on the constructiondescribed and claimed in said applications, particularly with relationto the forward and reverse drive means, is described in my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 488,869, filed February 17, 1955, for a SweeperApparatus Incorporating improved Forward and Reverse Drive.

in the construction shown in said applications Serial Serial Nos.392,117 and 409,823, the sweeper and all of its components weresupported on forward and rear wheels, there being a main drive wheel atthe rear of the sweeper frame and a pair of caster and steering wheelsat the forward portion of the frame. Since the horizontal main brush ofthe sweeper was mounted on the sweeper frame generally between theforward and rear wheels, or at the mid-portion of the sweeper, itfollows that the dipping of the forward wheels into a depression in theunderlying surface would result in a condition in which the brush waspressed excessively tightly against the underlying surface, yet by thetime the brush itself reached the depression the forward wheels wouldhave left it and the brush would not engage the underlying surface atall. Accordingly, the use of the sweeper on relatively irregularsurfaces was not completely satisfactory both with regard to excessivewear on the brush, and with regard to inadequate cleaning of any debrispresent in the depressions.

In view of the above factors characteristic of sweeper apparatus ingeneral and brush adjustment mechanism in particular, it is the objectof the present invention to provide a sweeper apparatus embodying animproved means by which the main sweeper brush is caused to follow thecontours of the surface being swept, so that the engagement between thebrush and underlying surface is uniform and satisfactory cleaning isachieved without excessive brush wear.

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A further object of the invention is to provide a greatly improvedfloating cam arrangement for effecting fine adjustment of the verticalposition of the main sweeper brush.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means foreffecting complete disengagement between the sweeper brush and theunderlying surface, and which operates in conjunction with cam means foreffecting an accurate adjustment of the vertical brush position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morefully set forth in the following specification and claims considered inconnection with the attached drawings to which they relate.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a sweeper apparatus embodying theinvention, portions being broken away to better illustrate theconstruction and mounting of the brush adjustment device;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the sweeper shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view corre sponding generallyto the portion of Figure 1 in which the brush adjustment mechanism isillustrated, but with portions broken away to show the sweeper brush andattendant bearings;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken generallyalong line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 corresponds to Figure 3 but shows the brush adjustment devicein its position at which the brush is completely disengaged from theunderlying surface.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, theapparatus may be seen to comprise gen erally a suitable frame 10, formedof a number of welded bar components, and forward and rear wheels 11 and12 journalled in frame 10 a fixed distance above the underlyingsupporting surface such as a sidewalk or factory floor 13, the rearwheel 12 being power driven and serving to propel the sweeper. A brushhousing 14 having vertically disposed end walls 16 is provided forenclosing the main cylindrical brush 17 (Figures 3-5) of the sweeper,and a trash receptacle 1% is mounted rearwardly adjacent the brushhousing 14 and in communication therewith in order to receive trash anddebris swept up by the brush.

The heavier debris sweptby brush 17 into trash receptacle l8 fallsimmediately to its bottom, but the dust incident to the operation issucked through a conduit '19 (Figure 2) and into a suction pump 21 fordischarge through a conduit 22 and subsequent filtering by a filtermeans 23. The filter means 23 is mounted on the cover of trashreceptacle l8 and incorporates means to permit periodic discharge of thefiltered dust into the receptacle 1% by the operator of the apparatus. Agasoline motor 24 mounted at the upper forward portion of frame 10,adjacent the drivers seat 26 and attendant controls, serves not only todrive suction pump 21 but also to drive the rear wheel 12 and the shaft27 of brush 17, all as 'described in detail in my copending applicationSerial No. 488,869, mentioned previously.

As best illustrated in Figures 3-5, the opposite ends of main brush 27are journalled in suitable bearings 28 disposed within relatively largeopenings 29 in end walls in of the brush housing 14. A relatively large'cover plate 31 is mounted on each bearing 23 exteriorly adja cent theassociated wall 16, the arrangement being such that shaft 27 and itsbearings 28 may be moved vertically within openings 29 yet thecover'plates 31 will effect substantial covering of the openings. Asprocket 32 (Figure 1) is provided at one end of shaft 27 and associatedthrough a chain 33 with a spro cket not shown, driven from motor 24 andas described in detail in my co-pending applications, in order to effectrotation of brush 17 in the desired direction.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, generally horizontal bars or arms 34' and35 -are-provided on opposite sides of the sweeper and have their forwardends pivotally connected at points 37 to sweeper frame generally abovethe front wheels 11. The other or rear ends of both bars or arms 34 and35 are'bolted to the bearings 28 as by bolts 39, so that the bars 34 and35 serve to locate and guide the bearing 23 while permitting verticalmovement thereof and thus of shaft 27 and brush 17. Mounted on the rearportion of bar 34, at the drive side of the sweeper and shown in Figures1 and 35, is a generally U-shaped bracket 41 of such size as to avoidcontact with the brush drive chain 33 and sprocket 32. The bracket 41 ispivotally connected outwardly of sprocket 32 with the lower end of agenerally vertical bar 42. Similarly, and at the other side of thesweeper as shown in Figure 2, a bracket 43 bolted to horizontal bar 35is pivotally connected to the lower end of a vertical bar 44corresponding to bar 42.

Welded to the outer surface of each of the bars 42 and 44 are twojournals or collars 46 and 47, the first collar 46 being at the lowerend of each bar and the second collar being preferably at the upperportion of each bar but spaced from the upper end thereof. Slidablymounted in the journals or collars 46 and 47 at both sides of thesweeper are cylindrical rods 48 having caster wheels 49 at their lowerends and in engagement with the underlying surface 13. The upper ends ofrods 48' are provided with cam follower members 51, and collars 52 areprovided on the rods 48 above collars 47 on bars 42 and 44.

According to the invention, cam or eccentric means are provided toadjust the longitudinal positions of vertical bars 42 and 44 (and thushorizontal bars 34 and 35 and the brush shaft 27) relative to rods 48which are supported on caster wheels 49 and thus are fixed relative tosurface 13. The cam or eccentric means preferably comprise a pair ofeccentrics or cams 53 which are fixedly mounted at opposite ends of ashaft 54, the latter extending for the full width of the sweeper asshown in Figure 2 and being rotatably mounted in the upper ends ofvertical bars 42 and 44. A crank 56 is fixedly secured to shaft 54 atthe drive side of the sweeper in order to permit manual rotation thereofand thus of the eccentrics 53, and is provided with a detent mechanismincluding a detent 57 journalled in crank 56 for movement longitudinallythereof. A spring 58 mounted around detent 57 is adapted to bias thesame toward shaft 54, or selectively into one of a plurality of notches59 on the periphery of a semi-circular sector plate 61. The sector plate61 in turn, is welded to a lever arm 62 one end of which is pivoted at63 to frame 10 of the sweeper, the sector plate 61 and arm 62additionally serving to rotatably receive shaft 54 as best shown inFigure 4. As shown in Figure 2, a corresponding lever arm 64 at theother side of the sweeper is pivoted at 65 to the frame, and rotatablyreceives the corresponding end of shaft 54.

Eccentrics 53 rest at all times on the generally horizontal end portionof the cam followers 51 at the upper ends of rods 48, and the distancebetween the peripheral surfaces of the eccentrics and their common shaft54 is determinative of the vertically adjusted positions of bars 42 and44 and thus of the brush shaft 27 associated therewith. When the partsare in the positions illustrated in Figure 3, with detent 57 in a notch59 at the rearmost end of sector plate 61, the eccentrics 53 are turnedto such positions that cam followers 51 engage the eccentric portionsmost remote from shaft 54. This means that the brush 17 is then in theuppermost sweeping position, which is assumed when the brush is new andhas relatively long bristles.

. As the brush wears down so that the bristle length is decreased,detent 57 is grasped and pulled against the bias of spring 58 out of thenotch 59 shown in Figure 3, after which the crank 56 and thus shaft 54and eccentrics 53 are rotated counterclockwise, for example until thedetent reaches the next notch 59, and the detent is released to lock theparts firmly in position. Eccentrics 53 are thus turned so that theportions of the eccentric peripheries engaging cam followers 51 arespaced a shorter distance from shaft 54, so that the bars 42 and 44 arelowered slightly to decrease the elevation of brush shaft 27 acorresponding amount, it being remembered that rods 43 and cam followers51 are fixed in elevation due to the fact that their caster wheels 49rest on the underlying surface 13. In the described manner, therefore,the elevation of shaft 27 and brush 17 may be readily and accuratelyadjusted merely by releasing the detent means and rotating crank 56 tovarious positions. Preferably, the collars 52 on rods 48 are inengagement with collars 47 on bars 42 and 44 when the brush 17 is in itsuppermostbrushing position as shown in Figure 3. It follows that whenthe crank 56 is turned to effect lowering of the bars 42 and 44 and thusof the brush, collars 47 will be lowered relative to the then stationarycollars 52.

There are many situations in which it is desired to disengage completelythe brush 17 from the surface 13, for example when the sweeper is beingdriven from a central storage point to a place where the sweeping actionis to be effected. According to the present invention, the brush 17 islifted off the underlying surface by cam means comprising generallyhorizontal cam follower plates 66 welded to the undersides of lever arms62 and 64. Plates 66 are adapted to be engaged by cam cranks 67 whichare fixedly secured at opposite ends of a shaft 68 extending parallel toshaft 54 for the full width of the sweeper as shown in Figure 2. Shaft68, which is journalled in bearings 69 on thesweeper frame 10, isprovided adjacent the drivers seat 26 with an actuating crank 1 whichrests on a stop post 72 when not in use.

In order to disengage brush 17 from the surface being swept, theoperator seated in seat 26 merely grasps crank 71 and lifts it to effectclockwise rotation of shaft 68 as viewed in Figures 3 and 5, so that camcranks 67 ride under plates 66 and thus effect pivoting of lever arms 62and 64 about their pivot points 63 and 65 and to the positions shown inFigure 5. Shaft 54 is thus elevated a substantial distance as are thevertical bars 42 and 44 l in which it is journalled, so that the brushshaft 27 associated with bars 42 and 44 is also elevated to lift thebrush off the ground. As shown in Figure 5, the position of cranks 67 issuch that they will hold the arms 62 in the elevated position until theactuating crank is manually shifted back to its original position, sothat it is unnecessary for the operator to maintain his grasp on crank71 in order to hold the brush off the ground.

In the operation of the brush adjustment and raising and lowering means,and assuming that the parts are initially in the Figure 3 positions, theperiphery of cylindrical brush 17 will be maintained in the desiredcontact with the surface 13 due to the floating relationship by whichbrush shaft 27 is supported by the caster wheels 49 acting through rods48, eccentrics 53, shaft 54, bars 42 and 44, brackets 41 and 43 andbearings 28. The caster wheels engage surface 13 directly beneath brushshaft 27, so that if the caster wheels ride into a depression in thesurface 13 the brush 17 will be lowered as desired and the properengagement between the brush and surface will be maintained. This is tobe contrasted with arrangements in'which the brush is supported solelyby the sweeper frame 111 and thus by front and rear wheels 11 and 12 ofthe sweeper, since in such apparatus a local depression beneath thebrush but not beneath the wheels 11 and 12 would not be swept at all.

When it is desired to lower the brush shaft 27 and brush 17 slightly tocompensate for wear on the brush bristles, it is merely necessary torelease the detent 57 and rotate crank 56 counterclockwise as viewed inFigure 3 to the next notch 59 in sector plate 61. Shaft 54 andeccentrics 53 are then likewise rotated counterclockwise to lower thebars 42 and 44 and thus the brush shaft relative to rods 48 and camfollowers 51, the elevation of the latter being fixed by caster wheels49. To disengage the brush 17 from surface 13, the operator merelyelevates crank 71 to rotate shaft 68 and thus cause cam cranks 67 toride beneath plates 65 to the position shown in Figure 5. Arms 62 and 64are thus pivoted clockwise about pivot points 63 and 65, causingelevation of shaft 54 and thus of bars 42 and 44 and the brush.

While the particular apparatus herein shown and disclosed in detail isfully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantageshereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merelyillustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention andthat no limitations are intended to the details of construction ordesign herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sweeper apparatus comprising a frame, forward and rear wheels tosupport said frame, a cylindrical sweeper brush mounted transversely ofsaid frame and intermediate said forward and rear wheels, said brushincluding an axial shaft adapted to move vertically relative to saidframe, bearing means for the opposite ends of said shaft and verticallymovable therewith, movably supported upwardly extending membersconnected to said bearing means, wheel mounting means mounted on saidupwardly extending members for vertical movement therewith, additionalwheel means mounted on said wheel mounting means and resting on thesupporting surface for said sweeper at substantially the samelongitudinal position relative to the frame as said shaft, and meansmounted on said upwardly extending members and supported on a generallyhorizontal surface portion of said wheel mounting means to adjust thevertical position of saidupwardly extending members, bearing means,shaft and brush relative to said wheel mounting means and wheel meanswhereby said brush can be moved as a unit toward and away from a surfaceto be swept.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1, in which the vertical adjustmentmeans comprises a camshaft journalled in said upwardly extending member,carn means fixedly mounted on said camshaft and resting on the generallyhorizontal surface portion of said wheel mounting means, and crank meansto rotate said camshaft and cam means.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 2, in which detent means areprovided to lock said crank means in a number of predetermined rotatedpositions effecting adjustment of said brush shaft to differentelevations.

4. The invention as claimed in claim 2, in which means are provided tolift said camshaft, and thus said 6 upwardly extending member, bearingmeans, shaft and brush, until the latter is completely disengaged fromsaid supporting surface.

5. A sweeper apparatus comprising a frame, forward and rear wheels tosupport said frame, an elongated brush housing provided on said frametransversely of the sweeper and intermediate said forward and rearwheels.

a pair of generally horizontal bars pivotally connected to said frameforwardly of said brush housing and extending longitudinally of saidframe, bearing means mounted on said horizontal bars at the ends of saidbrush housing, a cylindrical brush mounted in said brush housingtransversely of the sweeper and having an axial shaft journalled in saidbearing means, a pair of generally vertical bars pivotally associated attheir lower ends with said horizontal bars and said bearing means, saidvertical bars extending upwardly to above said brush housing, a pair ofrods slidably associated with said vertical bars and parallel thereto,said rods having caster wheels at their lower ends for engagement withthe underlying supporting surface at approximately the same longitudinalposition relative to said frame as said brush shaft, a camshaftjournalled in the upper ends of said vertical bars and extendingtransversely of the sweeper above said brush housing, cams mounted onsaid camshaft and supported on the upper ends of said rods, and a crankmounted on said camshaft to rotate the same and thus said cams in orderto adjust the vertical position of said brush shaft.

6. The invention as claimed in claim 5, in which an arm is pivotallyconnected to said frame at a point spaced longitudinally from saidcamshaft and rotatably receives said camshaft, a sector plate is securedon said arm and shaped with peripheral notches, and detent means aremounted on said crank for selective insertion into said notches.

7. The invention as claimed in claim 6, in which a cam follower plate ismounted on said arm, a second shaft is journalled above said brushhousing and parallel to said camshaft, a cam crank is mounted on saidsecond shaft for actuating engagement with said cam follower plate tolift the same and thus said brush, and an actuating crank is mounted onsaid second shaft for rotation thereof and thus of said cam crank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS220,376 Hedges Oct. 7, 1879 1,044,052 Humm Nov. 12, 1912 1,072,713 GaulSept. 9, 1913 1,348,585 Rosenfield Aug. 3, 1920 2,314,381 Arnett Mar.23, 1943 2,657,408 Machovec Nov. 3, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 380,596 GreatBritain Sept. 22, 1932

